The Legend of Zelda: Shadow's Overture
by SlayersFan132
Summary: After the events of Twilight Princess, Link is back to his normal life in Ordon. However, when a simple business trade comes up in Kakariko, all the monsters seem to have returned. With an unlikely ally, who can Link really trust? (Link's POV)
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: Hey, guys! I'm back with my first Legend of Zelda story! Of course, I've got a few Slayers/Zelda crossovers, but you get what I mean. This story will take a lot longer to update than the others since the chapters are so long and need so much editing. Other than that, it's mainly because I'd like to just do this in my free time. So, like the summary and this first section state, this takes place after the events of Twilight Princess, so if you haven't played that game you won't understand much of this, but I try to be as descriptive as possible to those of you who haven't.**_

_**Thank you for taking the time to read this new fanfiction!**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own the Legend of Zelda, otherwise it wouldn't be as good. Lol.**_

_**PLEASE REVIEW, FOLLOW, FAVORITE, AND EVEN READING IT MAKES ME HAPPY!**_

_**The Legend of Zelda: Shadow's Overture, Chapter**_** One.**

_No way. Midna can't leave..._I think desperately.

But now I know that she has to. Midna is the queen of the Twilight Realm, ruler of all Twili. She has to head back in order to protect and reestablish her land.

After a long moment of silence between Zelda, Midna and I, I ask, "But...you'll come back, right?"

She doesn't reply at first, looking down at me (because now she's taller. Embarrassing). Finally she looks over at Zelda and says, "Princess...take care of him for me, okay?"

I take offense at first, but then I realize the meaning behind these words. "Midna...you can't..."

A single tear slides down her face, and she whispers, "Link, I..." She reaches a hand out to me, falters, and then brushes her golden tear towards the Mirror, which it begins to float towards. She turns and stand on the platform, attempting cheer. "See you later!"

She disappears into the Twilight Realm, and before I can do anything, her tear floats straight into the Mirror...and it breaks into millions upon millions of pieces.

_"Only the true ruler of Twilight can destroy the Mirror completely."_

She destroyed the one thing binding light and shadow together...in order to protect our world. And me.

"Midna," I whisper, eyes wide. "No, Midna!" I close my eyes tightly and collapse onto my knees. "You can't leave us, please! Midna...I..."

* * *

Buckling my sword to my back, I open the door to my house and leap down from the ledge, not bothering to use the ladder. I roll to soften the fall, and when I stand I find myself face-to-face with Talo.

"Oh, hey, Talo. What do you need?"

The kid is definitely growing up. He now carries my old slingshot around with him wherever he goes (because he wouldn't stop bugging me about it), and he can hit a bulls-eye every single time. In truth, he now acts a bit like I did when I was growing up; brave, excitable, and intelligent (hey, I'm not kidding! I was a pretty smart kid!).

"Hey, Link! One of Malo's employees sent me to get you for something. I think they need you to deliver something to the castle," the brunette tells me. As he's speaking, I pull my horse-grass necklace out of my pocket and place it around my neck. It seems I'll have another adventure after all. Bad things tend to happen when the castle and I go together.

"M'kay, Talo. Ride with me?" I offer after blowing the whistle-like grass. Epona trots over to my house from the town.

"Yeah!" he exclaims. "First, though, I'll have to visit my parents."

I laugh. "You do that," I say happily, tousling his hair and shooing him off. As he runs towards the village, I call, "I'll be waiting at Ordona's spring!"

"Okay, Link!" he replies, turning the corner and disappearing from view.

I smirk as I pat Epona, take her by the reins, and lead her towards the spring. Talo is as excitable as he was just a couple months ago, before monsters appeared and Ganondorf came into our lives. My smile fades as I remember all the fear and pain in everyone's eyes whenever I was in the Twilight. Perhaps what made it worse was that they couldn't see me.

But then, after I restored light to the region, when I walked past someone and said hello, they looked back at me with bright, hopeful eyes. I just couldn't help but feel tense. Everyone thought of me as a hero, the one who would save all of Hyrule. I didn't want to be that hero. I just wanted to be 'that guy from Ordon.'

I shrug and begin to brush down Epona's coat and hair. She whinnies and nuzzles her head against my shoulder. I give her a smile and continue brushing. When all the tangles are brushed out of her creamy mane, I tuck my hat into a pocket and splash water onto my face. Shaking my head like a dog (maybe an aftereffect of when I was in the Twilight), I close my eyes and breath in the crisp morning air, smelling of freshly fallen leaves and clear water. I then put my hat back on my head and guide Epona to the entrance of the spring just as Talo arrives. Instinct, you could call it, but you'd be wrong. My senses seem to have heightened ever since I first transformed into a beast.

"Are you ready to go, Talo?" I ask the kid as he approaches.

"Yeah, Link!" he replies cheerfully. Then, staring at my mare, he exclaims, "Whoa! I get to ride Epona with you?!"

I laugh and help Talo mount my horse. "Did you think I was going to make you run the whole way back?" Climbing up behind him, I slip my feet into the stirrups and wrap my hands around him, taking hold of the reins. Taking great care with Epona (as I'm sure Ilia will get mad if she gets hurt), I snap the leather ropes, and we head out of the Ordona Province.

* * *

After hours on the road to Kakariko Village, we run into our first monster. Naturally, the child sitting in front of me reacts in terror, shrieking, "Link!"

Now, this wouldn't be a big deal if it weren't for the disappearance of all monsters after Ganondorf's fall. My eyes narrow and I pull my bow from around my shoulder, drawing an arrow from the quiver strapped to my back and taking aim.

It turns out to be a simple Bokoblin, but still, just the fact that it's a monster surprises me. After shooting it straight through the heart, I clap my hand over Talo's mouth before he can cheer about how heroic I just was.

"Bokoblins are never alone," I whisper, looking around with eyes narrowed. I can feel the wolf inside of me beginning to stir; there are definitely a lot more around.

Removing my hand from his mouth, I draw another arrow, hearing another bow's string pull back. Yelling for Epona to go, I turn myself completely around without losing my balance and release my projectile, hitting another Bokoblin and destroying it.

It wasn't the one with the bow, however, as I find out when a flaming arrow digs into the ground just beside us. As more arrows follow quickly, I shout for Talo to get as close to Epona's flank as he can. He shrinks down, and an arrow whizzes over his head. I lean to the side before one can impale me in the chest and turn back around, slapping Epona hard to get her to run faster.

Talo cries, "Link, what's happening?"

"I don't know!" I yell back, pointing my bow at yet another Bokoblin and shooting. I miss, though, and curse under my breath. When I turn back, I see a locked gate in front of us and call over the rush of the wind, "Come on, Epona! You can make it!"

She does make it, but barely. I wince when I hear one of her legs smack against the metal gate, and for a moment she loses her balance, but then runs steady.

I calm down just enough for them to catch me off guard.

A line of arrows launches over the gates, and I feel one dig painfully into my sword arm. Another reaches its mark, sinking deep into my left side. I try to urge Epona to run faster, but she's tuckered out, and only starts to slow down. Maybe this can work to our advantage; they're expecting us to race on ahead.

So, without using the energy to explain, I tug on Epona's reins to force her to stop. Talo looks at me like I'm crazy. He doesn't seem to spot my wounds, though, and then the arrows whiz far over our heads. When they all land, I say, "Okay, good girl, Epona. Now go!"

Epona charges down the path as fast as she can go at the moment, and when we finally reach Kakariko Village, she slows to a trot and heads as close as she can to the spring, standing shakily until both Talo and I get off. She then slumps onto one side and lets out a pained whinny. I notice that her right leg is bleeding and wonder if I could look even worse.

I, too, drop to the ground. I pat Epona's flank and force myself to wrench the arrow out of my forearm, letting out a pained cry and biting my lip when a pain like fire replaces the cold metal shaft. Talo gasps and hurries over, asking if I'm alright.

"P-pull that one out," I whisper, gasping when the brunette gives it a light tug. He immediately lets go, and I shake my head. "No, Talo, pull it out. If you don't, it'll seal in there when I go to the spring, and it'll hurt worse."

Hesitantly, Talo reaches out both of his small hands and grips the shaft again. He slips it slowly out, and I restrain myself. It hurts...it stings worse than anything I've ever experienced, even Ganondorf's magic. What is this?

The second he gets the arrow out, Talo shrieks, "Ilia! Help me!"

I clench my jaw and glance down at the long shaft that Talo pulled out. Everything else blurs when I see that it's coated almost completely in blood. I risk a pained glance down at the front of my tunic and see almost the entire front coated in a bloody stain.

It's not that I'm afraid of blood; otherwise I would never make it as Hyrule's Hero. It's seeing my own blood that scares me. It's the one thing that can actually scare me. The thought of death, the possibility that I could die.

As a child, I wasn't afraid of anything at all, not my friends teasing me about being an orphan, not someone getting angry at me, not even of climbing up the vines to get some honey from that hornet nest in Ordon. Maybe that's why I was blessed with the Triforce of Courage. As I grew older, however, I became more wary and cautious, and slowly began to fear it.

Even so, death is something that's feared by each and every one of us...

I can feel Ilia as she crouches next to me and shakes me urgently, calling my name. When did I get on the ground? And...why is everything growing so dark?

The last thing that I can hear is, "Get him to Eldin's spring!"

...Do you think...that might've been a dangerous wound?

* * *

The first thing I register is crying. Crying from all kinds of different voices. I can identify each and every one of those voices. Ilia, Colin, Talo, Malo, Beth...why are they crying...?

The next thing I register is how dark it is, and then I realize that my eyes are closed. I open them as far as I can manage, and the first face I see is Ilia's, scared and worried.

She sees my eyelids flicker slightly as I try to keep them open...but...this pain is unbearable...

"Link!" she whispers. "You're awake!"

Immediately everyone else's crying stops, and they wait for me to say something. So I do.

"The...castle...I need to...tell...the princess..."

Ilia chokes back another sob. I can tell that this time she's more worried about me than Epona. "Link, you can't. It's too dangerous, and...and you..." She closes her eyes and turns her head away. I see Telma place a gentle hand on her shoulder. When did Telma get here? Why are they all so worried about me?

I force myself to sit up and manage to keep consciousness in my grasp. "What do you mean? What's wrong?" I summon strength into my voice and hope it passes off. Truly, my insides are boiling and my head aches worse than anything. When will it stop...?

"L-Link, please don't try to...you can't go, okay?!" Colin cries.

Why are they all talking like I'm on my deathbed?

"Colin, Ilia, what's wrong? What's so bad that you won't let me visit Princess Zelda and tell her exactly what happened?" I demand as my vision begins to swim again.

Telma heaves a great sigh and says, "Listen, honey, it's a lot more serious than you think. These monsters have just appeared, right? Talo, here, told me that you didn't come across any monsters until you were almost here. Is that right?"

I frown, but nod anyway.

"Link, honey, they just showed up out of nowhere, and as far as we can tell, only around Kakariko Village. They must have come here for a reason. We think that they wanted to trap you here, sweetheart," the bartender continues with an uncharacteristic frown on her face.

I lean back on the bed with a sigh and mutter, "That could be true, but since when are monsters so smart?"

"Maybe they've got a new leader," Beth offers up as quietly as she can. Her attempt fails, however, as all eyes turn to her, following my own gaze.

"Yeah..." Malo whispers contemplatively.

Ilia tilts her head to the side and asks, "Link, are you sure Ganondorf is dead?"

I blink and glance at her as my headache subsides and the pain diminishes. "Ilia, I'm absolutely positive that Ganondorf is gone forever. Don't tell me you're doubting me." I can hear exasperation and fatigue in my voice.

"Forever...no, I don't think that's quite right."

The voice sounds so familiar, but I can't quite place it. For some reason it has this muffled touch to it, as though they're speaking from underwater.

That's when it hits me that I do know this voice. I know this voice all too well.

Zant.

As the house begins to fade to Twilight, and the first couple people turn into spirits, I can feel my heart begin to race, and I whisper to Ilia, "Please remember that I'm here when you least expect it."

She looks like she's going to ask a question, probably something about Zant or what's going on, or maybe what I mean, but then she turns into a spirit. I can tell she's looking around even without being able to see anything other than a floating blue light.

Before I can assume my wolf form, I whip around and demand answers out of Zant. "Why are you here? I thought you were dead!"

It's then that I realize he isn't the same man he once was. His snakelike mask is cracked and broken on one side, and I can see almost half of his horrid face. His once elegant robes are torn. The final thing I notice is that his cruel, cold look is gone.

I feel a pounding headache, and when I'm on the ground I can feel my body reshaping itself, morphing into a wolf's form. Letting out a huff that comes out as a growl, I watch Zant as he begins to reply to me.

"Listen, Hero, I am on your side this time. Wasn't it I who helped you defeat Ganondorf? Wasn't it I who sacrificed what little I had left, to weaken him?" Zant asks softly, crouching down to lay a hand on top of my head, where I know there's a crest symboling the goddesses. I growl and back away, out of his reach.

He shakes his head. "No, Hero, please, don't fight me. I swear that I am on your side. Midna is in trouble."

At Midna's name I feel my ears perk and I relax my stance. I tilt my head with my gaze locked onto Zant's. He lets out a breath and continues to speak, giving me what I think may be a smile. "The Sages brought me back to life so I could warn you and your world. Midna gave me this, the object I used against you so long ago. But I doubt you'll need it."

He holds up the sharp piece of black and orange metal which he used to trap me in my wolf form after we had obtained the three Fused Shadows. I snarl and back away carefully. Zant chuckles. "I didn't know you kept it. Frankly, it makes me feel honored. Tell me, Link, Hero of Twilight..." He pauses just long enough for me to calm down and approach again. "...if I work with you and help you, will you do the same?"

It takes me some time to consider this, and he lets out a sigh. "I understand your hesitancy to trust me, especially after all that I have done to you and Midna. She was hesitant, too. But I swear, by everything that I have, that I really do want to help you. If I break this vow and harm you in any way, I will restrain myself and allow you to kill me. Do we have a deal?"

My brow furrows. Should I trust him? Can I trust him?

Apparently I think I can, because I take the few steps forward that allow him to rest his hand on my head again. He gives an amused smile and scratches me behind the ears. Okay, so maybe I can understand why animals like that so much...

Zant gives a short laugh and asks, "Would you mind if I hid in your shadow on occasion? I believe you allowed Midna to do so..."

I puff out a breath and roll my eyes, trying to say, _'Yeah, right. I didn't _let_ her; she did it anyway.'_

Zant smirks again. "Right, I forgot about that. I'll do that now, so your friends can return to their physical forms. I'm afraid, however, that you wouldn't be able to return to your human form because of my, ahem, dark presence. Your friends should be able to understand if you show them somehow, correct?"

My ears flatten, and I attempt to tell him that I'm not sure. I think he gets it, because he sighs yet again, pats the top of my head, and disappears into my shadow. The Twilight immediately disperses, and I leap onto the bed, settling down on it and resting my head on my paws.

Ilia appears and starts to look around, muttering, "That was weird..."

When she spots me, her first reaction is a scream. Apparently, this starts a chain reaction, because multiple screams follow.

Telma seems to be the only one who doesn't freak out. She puts her hands at her hips and looks down at me, staring into my eyes, searching for something. I remember the first thing she used to describe me with. _"Look at those eyes; proud, like a feral beast."_

She recognizes those eyes now, but she doesn't seem to want to say anything. So I step carefully off the bed, standing half Ilia's height. I gently nudge her with my nose, guiding her gaze to the outline of a triangle on my right paw and a scar farther up, but not past the joint.

Her eyes widen, and I nuzzle her again. Finally, she crouches beside me and whispers, "Link? Is that you?"

I lift my head up and lock gazes with her. Tears well in her eyes. "What's happened to you?" Ilia whispers.

I once again rest my head on my paws with a discontented huff.

"It's him," Telma says at last. "I'd recognize those eyes anywhere."

I tilt my head towards her and dip my head slightly, once again standing. Finally, I turn sadly around and head towards the door, glancing back at all of them just once before standing on my hind paws and using both my front paws to twist the knob, simultaneously leaning back. The door swings open, and I hear a collective gasp come from all of the people.

I hear footsteps and turn around just as multiple children's arms give me hugs and squeezes and exclamations of, "Come back soon, okay?" I feel Colin scratch me behind the ears and can't stop my tail from wagging.

Finally I turn completely back around and nuzzle each of them before looking around for an exit other than the front door. I find two boxes stacked near an open window in the hallway, and I pad over, leaping up and out of the window. As I'm landing, I hear Barnes say, "Um, he does know that window leads fifteen feet down, right?"

"Wolf, Barnes. He's not human right now," Telma's voice replies.

I feel a twang of sorrow at those words, and then I land on all four paws, snarling slightly when my front right paw buckles and burns with pain again.

Shaking my head, I dash away, towards the spring, and rest there for a while. Zant mutters from my shadow, "You must love those children. I'm surprised you didn't lick their faces, like any ordinary dog."

I roll my eyes once again, and Zant says, "Anyway, I bet you're wondering where we're supposed to go and how I got here."

Nodding as much as I can, I begin to head over to the little cavern that holds a Cucco and leads to the back of Eldin's spring, looking for information.

I ask the Cucco, "Do you know what's happening outside Kakariko Village?"

It turns its head from one side to the other before clucking, "Well, I haven't had much information leak through, but that horse told me about the Bokoblins and how they attacked the green-clad hero. You smell like him. I like you."

I huff and thank it, turning away. Then it calls, "But one of my friends told me about more and more monsters gathering around each town. No traveler is safe anymore."

Pricking my ears, I head back out of the cavern, and Zant clears his throat. "As I was saying, we're supposed to be going to Castle Town in order to warn Princess Zelda, although I'm sure you knew that." I nod again, and he continues. "Other than that, the Sages also allowed both you and I to travel from this world to the Twilight Realm."

I glare down at my shadow as if to say, _'Why you?'_

"Because this time, I'm here in replacement of Midna," he replies. "Now, hurry up. We need to get going before dark; that's when the monsters are most dangerous, and hardest to control." I can almost feel him shudder.

Nodding yet again, I dash off to the gate, wishing we had time to talk to Epona and ask what she knows.

I sniff around the gate and sense a soft spot in the ground that I can dig under. Reaching the other side of the gate, I glance quickly around to count the monsters. There are around thirty, and, lucky me, they're all asleep. Trying to make as little sound as possible, I sneak around the first one and curse the chain on my paw.

As soon as I'm far away enough to flee without being heard, I dart northeast, following the white spire that I know is the castle.

* * *

"We're almost there," Zant says, as if I don't know. "How do you want to do this?"

The path is being guarded by all kinds of monsters, even some of the Shadow Beasts that Zant used to put everywhere. I growl. The Shadow Beasts being here must mean that they'll stick us inside one of those force-fields until we kill them, and how am I going to do that without Midna's little trick?

I mentally count them. Six. There are six Shadow Beasts, which means I could defeat four of them and then use my spin attack, maybe?

"I could come out of your shadow and the extra monsters would probably turn into the darker ones, but that wouldn't help, would it?" Zant asks himself idly. "Oh, here's an idea. We could run around the first ones and attack the Shadow Beasts, then dodge around the rest of them as much as we can."

That's along the lines of what I'm thinking, so I nod and prepare myself for a risky run.

Really, it goes pretty well, and my idea of using a spin attack against the last two Shadow Beasts works like a charm. It's just the last monsters that alarm me. The six Shadow Beasts have tired me out a little more than I expected, and these last monsters look pretty aggressive. Not to mention fast.

So guess what I do?

I run around them.

I think a few see me, because I hear some screeching behind me, but I keep running and dash up the stairs, of which the monsters don't seem to be able to climb up. They all gather by the stairs and shriek at me, yelling, getting angry in general. I turn and bark at them before hurrying over to the giant doors leading into Castle Town and racing immediately inside.

I see the doctor's office, but other than that, the west side of Castle Town is virtually abandoned. There isn't much here, but since it's nearly dusk, there are the two men with the big hats, wondering what the other is saying. When I walk past the one in red, however, he screams and ducks, with his hands covering his head. I roll my eyes and continue walking towards the castle.

Other than the men with the hats, everyone else seems to recognize me as I pass by (as the wolf that helped Zelda, of course), and simply shrink away. The guards actually salute me as I head towards the castle, and one of them follows to open the doors for me (I really don't need them, but it's best to appear as dog-like as possible).

They knock on the elegant door leading into Zelda's bedroom and call, "Princess? It's the wolf."

I hear her gasp and whisper, "Come in!"

I push open the door with my head, paws working frantically, and see Zelda look down at me in surprise. She's not wearing the black cloak that she wore whenever I went to her before, and her room is a lot brighter.

After the guard leaves, she rushes over to me, crouches down, and exclaims, "Link?! What happened? How are you like this if we're not in Twilight?"

I flick my tail and give Zelda a look-over, to make sure she's ready. Then I bark loudly, calling for Zant to come out.

Her room is immediately enveloped in Twilight, but she remains in her human form when Zant passes out of my shadow. Zelda's eyes narrow, but after a warning growl from me, the two look at each other with a mutual respect.

"Link, is this why you're stuck in your wolf form? Is it because he's been there the whole time?" she asks.

I dip my head in a nod, and Zant begins to explain. "Princess, I know you don't trust me, but I'm the only one that can speak for Link right now, so you'll just have to take my word for it."

"Or," she says, "I could have you leave the castle, and he could take his human form."

Zant flinches. "I hadn't thought of that." Giving me a nod and bowing to Zelda, he disappears, and that headache comes back again.

I assume my human form, and when I'm standing again, Zelda says, "Okay, Link, since I trust you more, let's hear it from you."

So I explain Talo telling me about Malo's request, heading to Kakariko Village, and Zant's arrival. Zelda breathes, "So he could have easily killed you right then, but he didn't?"

I nod. "I was in a weak enough position that he could have killed me even without going himself, but he offered his assistance anyway. I don't know what's going on, Zelda, but I know that whatever it is isn't good. Zant thought that you would know what to do."

She lets out an exasperated sigh. "Well, he's right. I do know what to do. You'll need to visit the Twilight Realm and see what you can of there, then come and report back to me. But I don't think I quite trust Zant yet, Link. I'm sure you would understand if you were there when he attacked. I want Zant to stay here while you visit the Twilight Realm."

I nod again and start to head out.

"Link?"

"Yes, princess?"

"Good luck."

I chuckle. "Let's hope so." Leaving the room, I call to Zant. Before my Twilight form takes over, I explain quickly what Zelda wants to happen.

"Very well," he relents as I re-assume my wolf form. Crouching down beside me, he says, "To enter the Twilight Realm, you'll just have to walk through a mirror. It's quite simple, really."

I cock my head at him as if to say,_ 'So walking through mirrors is easy now?'_

"Is that a hint of sarcasm I detect?" Zant asks with a touch of humor in his smile.

I bark affirmation and start to dash down the stairs, gaining speed until I jump onto a windowsill and exit the castle.

"Impressive. I take it you learned how to break in and out of the castle from Midna?"

I glance reproachfully at him, clearly saying with my eyes, _'Maybe.'_

Zant smirks and continues to float after me, turning everything within a ten-foot radius into Twilight. Getting an idea, I flick my tail at him and bark, telling him to wait. Then I run a bit ahead and change back into a human.

"Could we just walk like this?" I call.

The Twili shrugs. "Be my guest."

"So where do you think the nearest mirror is?" I joke, drawing my sword and killing a couple Bokoblins.

"Are you just playing for time? We could have gone through one in the castle."

I give him a smirk and shoot an arrow at a Boblin stationed on a post not too far away. I then put on my Hawk-eye mask and aim at the other Boblins. Finally, I reply, "Maybe I am. I want to hear what Epona knows about the monsters' reappearance. Horses tend to know things." I then put a hand to my chin. "Then again, the only thing she would say to me whenever I was in wolf form last time was, 'Link, please return to your normal self.' Apparently she likes me better as a human."

Zant chuckles, following me carefully with his torn robes trailing.

"By the way," I begin, "you never told me why you're so beat-up."

He looks skeptical. "That's because I didn't want to. But now that you ask, I guess I could..."

"Please do."

"When I came back, my Shadow Beasts and Assassins tried to...well, assassinate me. I figured that they were being controlled by another source, someone more dangerous and commanding than me. They all worked together, unlike when you fought them and they fought separately. I could never get them to do that."

Now that I think about it, the Shadow Beasts earlier were a bit harder to defeat than they should have been.

"Okay, so that's a new bit of information. We know that whoever is in control of the monsters now is scarier than you are. That's actually saying something. Do you know how scared I was when you just appeared right behind me? I mean, who does that?"

"Me."

"Aside from you."

"Midna."

"...right..."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Don't forget to review at the end of the chapter, please, my wonderful followers!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Legend of Zelda.**

**The Legend of Zelda: Shadow's Overture, Chapter Two.**

I scoop up water in my hands and splash it over my face. I spot Zant watching with an amused expression on his face from just ten feet away. That's kind of been the distance we've stayed from each other, as I don't really want to run around as a dog all of my life (I've already spent enough time terrifying villagers).

I roll my eyes at Zant before placing my hat securely back on my head and turning in the direction of Hyrule Field.

I pull my necklace out and whistle Epona's song. She races into the small clearing, and I pat her head before glancing back over at Zant again and gesturing for him to come closer. He rolls his eyes and does so, simply floating in midair while I transform into a wolf and begin to talk to Epona.

"Link, I thought you were done taking this form!" she complains.

I huff and reply, "Yes, Epona, I thought I was too. But I need you to answer me some questions, and since you can't speak my...natural tongue, I have to ask you this way."

She rears up onto her hind legs and whinnies, and I shrink back just a bit as I watch her hooves come crashing down, all large enough to squash me like a bug. Finally she snorts and mutters, "Well, I can't disobey my master...what are your questions?"

"What did you take out of the Bokoblin attack? And do you have a clue as to what's going on?"

"Oh, that's it? Well, the monsters were acting as though they were bees, working together and not alone, like they usually do. I think that someone is definitely pulling the strings from behind, maybe with mind-control or something. As to what's going on, I'm sorry to say I have no idea. I'm just a horse; things like these usually don't affect me unless those pesky monsters try to ride me again," she replies, huffing.

"Thank you Epona," I reply. "How's your leg?"

Snorting, she rears again to show it off. "The spirits did an amazing job. It's fully healed now."

"Would you mind giving me a ride to my house?"

"No problem."

Zant backs off again, and I mount Epona, gently combing out the tangles in her mane with my fingers before we head out.

As we start to head farther away from Faron Woods, Zant follows at the same distance the whole time, and I get the feeling Epona doesn't like having half of herself in Twilight, because she's a bit more skittish than usual.

"Could you back up a little? Epona doesn't like that."

Zant rolls what I can see of his eyes and slows down just a little. For some strange reason, he doesn't walk, but he floats just above the ground. Then again, it seems to make him faster than I could ever walk, so you won't see me complaining.

When we reach Ordona's spring, I glance back at Zant and begin, "You know, I don't think anyone in Ordon would react well to you in general, but especially not when you turn everything in a ten-foot radius into shadows and darkness."

Zant rolls his eyes again and says, "Very well; I'll wait here for your return."

So I enter Ordon without my Twili companion.

If I remember correctly, there's a mirror in my basement. But did I leave that mirror there, or was that the one that I gave to Uli, Colin's mom? Oh, whatever. I'm sure they'll understand if I barge into their house and walk through the mirror (sarcasm, by the way).

I climb up the rungs of my ladder and open the door that leads into my house. It hasn't been long since I was last here, and I have the feeling that I won't be back for a long time. I smirk down at a picture of all the children from here in the village. It was Malo's birthday that day...

Then I glance at the strange item that I inherited from my father before he passed away: a heart-shaped wooden mask with strange purple lines across it and spikes jutting out from the side. That mask has always crept me out. Well, not any more than the fact that all the men in my entire family have been named Link and I've already sworn to continue that tradition, but I could list a number of things that are even creepier.

The first thing that comes to mind is Zant.

I light my lantern and attach it to my belt, climbing down the ladder that leads into my basement, which, in reality, is in the huge trunk of a tree (I once heard a tale of one of my ancestors worshiping a giant tree...do you think it was this one?).

I look around my basement and immediately spot a full-body-length mirror leaning against the back wall, next to the treasure chest that I always keep an extra bit of money in. I let out a breath and mutter, "So how am I supposed to do this? Do I just walk through it?"

I approach the mirror and test its firmness with my hand, jumping back in surprise when it goes straight through.

"Okay, Link, remember, much creepier things, much creepier things..." I mutter to myself, holding my breath as I step carefully over the trim and through the mirror.

I open my eyes to see what I assume is a female Twili's bedroom. However, it also looks like it's been invaded—what appears to be the remains of a table is broken and splintered in the middle of the room, and the chairs are mere toothpicks beside it. The curtains have been torn down, and Twilight filters through the ruined windows. Lucky for me, this mirror has been left completely undamaged, although it sits dead across from the door. When I turn to further examine the mirror, I see that there are symbols etched on it, glowing blue.

It's then that I realize that this is Midna's bedroom.

My eyes widen and I dash across the room to fling open the door. The castle is an utter disaster; everywhere I look, tapestries are torn down, portraits of rulers past ripped to shreds. Every once in a while I'll find something that has those blue symbols around it, and that object is always untouched. Among the rulers I see just one photo that has one such border, one of two Twili. The king looks sturdy and strong, and the queen looks...just like Midna. Every single feature is exactly the same, right down to the pretty orange eyes with the little specks of gold in them...could this be Midna's mother?

I continue to jog through the castle, and eventually I reach the doors that head outside. I open the door carefully, and what I see shocks me.

The whole Twilight Realm, which isn't very large, is overwhelmed by Shadow Beasts; they're creeping everywhere, snarling at whoever makes a sound. All of the Twili are lined up, forced to their knees, and most of them are crying silently. I can't see how even Zant managed to escape from so many of them.

I scan the crowd of Twili, but can't see Midna anywhere. Suddenly, a strong yet unmistakably feminine hand drags me back into the castle, and someone hisses, "Link?! What are you doing here?!"

I turn around and spot the one I was looking for. Rather than have a happy reunion, however, she bares the fang that peeps out when she's angry or exasperated and tugs me away from the doors.

"What happened to you?" I ask with a horrified voice when I see that her hair is now down to her shoulders and looks redder than usual, her hood torn completely to shreds. Her hands, which were previously slim and beautiful, now have chipped fingernails, and are bleeding around the cuticles. Her movements, once so fluid, are now sharp and unpredictable.

"Shadow Beasts, Link. Wait—" Midna stops and whips back around, nearly causing me to topple over. "You have to prove that you're truly Link. Tell me something that we, and we only, know."

Her sudden change of attitude is scaring me, but I take the time to think. I can't think of much that only she and I would know, but the first thing that comes to mind is after we battled Ganondorf, and she left us at the Mirror Chamber...

"'Take care of him for me, okay?'" I quote with my eyes closed.

Midna's eyes water before she closes them and brushes the tears away. "Link...I'm so...so sorry..."

Before I know what's happening, she's enveloped me in a hug and whispered frantically, "I don't know what's happening, but I know that Ganondorf is somehow connected to it. It's the same dark magic, but this time there's not a psychopath controlling it. Ganondorf learned his lesson, Link, and I don't think it'll be the same battle."

"Neither do I. What condition was Zant in when you saw him?" I ask quietly.

"Perfect condition. Why? What's happened to him?"

I sigh, and we start back down the halls. "The Shadow Beasts and Assassins attacked him when he was coming. He's...not in the best condition right now, although he's certainly a lot nicer."

Midna giggles. "Yes, he's had a true change of heart. One second he's trying to rule the world, the next he's trying to save it."

"Did I mention that he started hiding in my shadow like you used to?"

"Really? I feel so honored," she replies sarcastically. "Tell him I still hate him when you get back, alright?"

I smirk. "Sure. But there's no telling how he'll react. He might just throw a temper tantrum."

We stare at each other for a moment before we burst out laughing, and I think I see Midna wipe away a tear (it starts floating over to the wall and burns a crevice in it...). The mood leaves all too soon, and silence invades the halls again.

"I missed you, Midna," I finally whisper, blinking and looking down at the once-beautiful marble floors.

She looks away. "Link, before you say anything—"

"Midna, I'm not angry." I cut her off, taking one of her hands in mine. "I know you had to, it's just...why?"

She stares at me for a long moment before saying, "I destroyed it to protect you from my world. I know how much you hated that form. I didn't want you to go through that again, but now I guess it can't be helped, can it?" She says the last part in a whisper, and it barely reaches my ears.

We stay silent for a moment longer before I finally tell her, "I was sent here by Princess Zelda. She wanted me to see how things were going here and report back. So...how are things here?"

"You've seen it yourself," the Twilight Princess replies. "Dangerous. We've basically been captured by whoever our enemy is. I hope your princess knows what she's doing, because this one doesn't."

I realize that we've arrived back at her room. "So what's with the blue borders?"

"I barely had enough time to put them up when the Shadow Beasts came in. I knew that you and Zant would be able to access the Twilight Realm through my mirror, and so I put a protective spell over it. I also did so over my most prized possessions."

Oh. That explains the frame of her mother and father.

I can sense the sadness seeping into the room, and I murmur, "I wish you could come back."

She bites her lip and looks away. "I'm afraid that I must put duty over our...friendship, Link. This transportation should be an honor; you're lucky that you are still able to come and go as you please. I destroyed the Mirror of Twilight for a reason, Link, and that reason still stands." She seems to be deciding this just now, even though she's obviously upset about it. "Now, tell Princess Zelda that the Shadow Beasts have taken over the land, and we still don't know who is in control of them. However, we do know that this new enemy is far more calm. It could really be anyone, I guess..."

The Twilight Princess fiddles uneasily with what's left of her cloak, twisting it around her fingers. Finally she says, "Well then, Link...See you later!"

And before I know it, her hands connect with my shoulders and I literally fall through the mirror, sprawling on the floor of a dimly lit bedroom that I recognize as Zelda's. Okay, what's with the whole _'appearing in a princess' bedroom'_ thing recently?

I find myself looking up at Zelda's face. "Welcome back, Link. Is Midna well?"

"Well enough. She's not any better off than Zant is, so I guess that's fine," I reply, getting to my feet and brushing dust off of my clothing.

After the hairs on the back of my neck finally settle (I'm sure in wolf form I'd be bolt upright), I report to Zelda.

She nods. "We aren't much closer than we were, but at least we're still moving ahead. Good job, Link. Call Zant. I need to speak with him."

"Er...how am I supposed to do that?"

"Does Epona not know when you call her? Try your necklace."

Imagining how Zant will react when I call him with my horse call, I smirk and blow on it anyway. Somewhere far off in the distance I hear Epona whinnying, and then Zant appears.

"Am I a horse now, or is this the best way to call me?" he growls. I can practically see his fury boiling up. Does anyone else feel a temper tantrum coming on?

I give him a lopsided smile. "By the way, Zant, Midna says she still hates you." With that, I promptly take my Twilight form and settle down on my front paws.

* * *

It turns out he didn't throw a temper tantrum, but he was really close. So close, in fact, that I made a bet with my horse (I lost, by the way. She gets extra sugar cubes for a whole week).

Zelda bids us farewell, telling us to drop by Kakariko Village, wherever we're heading off to. Considering I have absolutely nowhere else to go, I tell Zant to get us straight to the village.

When we reach Kakariko, I glare at Zant until he moves away just enough for me to assume my human form.

"Go do whatever you do when you're bored," I order, waving my hand at him and walking off into Kakariko.

"Oh, I _am_ a horse. Wonderful."

Epona whinnies in complaint, but I simply continue walking down the path and ignore the both of them for the time being.

"Link."

I glance to the side and see Renado standing at the Sanctuary. He evidently just walked out of the building, just as Zant left.

Feeling slightly uncomfortable, I frown and follow him into the building.

"What is it?" I ask when we're both alone in the Sanctuary.

"Telma, Ilia, and myself have spent a while conversing about your...alternate form, and the one question we couldn't answer is how you took that form. Care to enlighten me?"

I hesitate. It was already bad enough that I showed them I was myself, but I can't tell them how or they'll go crazy on me.

"I'm sorry, Renado, but some things are best kept a secret."

His eyes narrow for a split second, as though he's irritated I won't tell him, but finally he lets out a sigh and says, "Very well. It was not my place to pressure you like that. If anyone should, it should be Telma. At least we know she would succeed."

I laugh lightly and exit the building without further conversation.

Then it occurs to me that Zelda never told me why she needed me to visit Kakariko.

When this registers, I hurry over to the cave with the Cucco in it and blow the horseshoe necklace. Epona whinnies and approaches, and Zant appears with a look of pure hatred on his face. I back away before I can transform and shrug.

"How else would you like me to call you?" I ask helplessly before getting to the point. "I need you to ask Zelda why she needed us to come here."

"I'm _not_ your _errand_ boy, _Hero_." Zant hisses through clenched teeth. "I'm only _helping_ you now because I have no other choice. I'm guaranteed freedom when this is all over."

I snort. "Hopefully you won't be as temperamental in that new life. Or are you staying the same?"

"It's _not_ a good idea to try my temper, Link. Things get nasty when you do, and from what I can tell you only have a sword on you."

I shrug and wave him off. As a final threat, he says, "I could always walk out in front of your friends and say, 'Hello, my name is Zant. I'm Link's best friend. He'll deny it, but don't believe him. He's playing a prank on you.'"

"They'd probably be spirits before you could fit all that in."

Zant vanishes with a snarl of, "Watch your back, Potter," which I really don't understand. I don't really have a last name...and if I did, where did 'Potter' come from? I don't work with clay, and I certainly don't make pots...

Ah, well. When he gets back we'll continue on this...whatever it is. Meanwhile, I have to figure out who this new enemy is. Maybe some investigating will do the trick.

Naturally, the first place I go to is Barnes' Bomb Shop. He flinches when he sees me, but relaxes when I give him a glare (talk about reverse psychology).

"Hey, Barnes, have you seen anyone suspicious lately?" I ask casually.

He shrugs nonchalantly and replies, "Talo and Malo have been acting strange, but that might just be them being kids. You should still ask one of them, though. Talo should be on the lookout post, like usual. By the way, if you ask me, the kid's vision is terrible. I had him read a paper for me and he kept saying the wrong words, and considering he's about ten he could surely read them..."

As Barnes continues to ramble, I head quickly out the door and hitch a Goron ride up the cliff towards the lookout post, which still has a few arrows wedged in it from when Malo dared me I couldn't hit it. And man, did I prove him wrong.

"Hey, Talo," I say as I climb the last rungs of the ladder.

The kid jumps as he turns to look at me. "Whoa, Link, don't do that! You scared me!"

"I thought you saw me coming. It's a lookout tower, and you're our lookout."

"S-sorry," he stammers. "I've just been zoning out lately. Everything's gotten weird around here. Nothing is the same as it was."

I scowl. "You shouldn't be worrying about things like that, Talo, especially when everyone else is off guard. You're the one they all rely on to keep them safe, and if you zone out like that, none of us will live long enough to ask you if you're okay. Do you understand?" When he gulps and nods, I give him a smile and ruffle his hair. "Constant watch. Remember that. In fact, I'll take over for you, for just a bit, okay?"

"Really?!" he exclaims. I notice the bags under his eyes and nod, waving him off.

Just as he gets down the ladder, Zant appears, out of sight from everyone in Kakariko but far enough away from me that I don't have to be a dog.

"The princess says that she has detected a large amount of dark magic pouring out from Kakariko," he reports with a very angry look on his face under his broken mask. "Specifically, she sensed it somewhere in that direction." I follow his pointer finger as he points it towards the Sanctuary, then gestures with his entire hand at the three buildings in that area: the Sanctuary itself, the Elde Inn, and Malo Mart.

"Dark magic...?" I murmur as I look at the buildings, trying to sense something.

It comes in a flash. A beast appears near the Eldin Spring, and before I can utter a syllable it's taken hold of me by the neck, slowly pressing the breath out of me. I can vaguely hear the people of Kakariko shrieking at the sudden movement on top of the lookout tower, especially Talo's worried voice from the roof of the bomb shop just below the lookout tower.

I close my eyes and focus my strength on just one word:

"Z...Zant..."

Without even bothering to look, as I know he probably won't try to help out, I wait as the inevitable begins to creep up on me, my heart stricken by pure fear for the first time in...ever.

A final whisper escapes my lips as all fades to darkness and my lungs feel like they're about to burst completely.

"P...please...h-help..."

* * *

Flares of pain, like rays of sunlight on the horizon, shoot through me and in the pitch blackness of my vision. A soft groan is the only thing that announces my awakening, but several people react immediately. Someone's voice says, "Get some water." A second person whispers my name, and a hand wraps around my own. Footsteps echo on what must be wooden floorboards.

I can feel my heart pounding, but just barely. My lungs still feel tight, and my chest is heaving to get the air into them.

Finally I decide to open my eyes and notice that Talo is the one holding my hand, who said my name, and Renado is the one who gave the order. Telma is sitting next to Renado, and just as I turn my gaze to the door, Barnes walks in with a glass of water, leaving quickly after delivering it.

The final thing I notice is Zant at the other side of the room, away from them, staring at me calmly.

I'm alive.

He saved me.

"Link, honey, can you speak?" Telma asks.

I open my mouth to reply, but no sound comes out. I shake my head and let out a huff.

"Well, that's too bad. 'Cuz otherwise you could explain who that is." The bartender gestures to Zant, who rolls his eyes behind her back.

"Mute both ways, I guess," Zant says to her with one corner of his mouth raised. The hideous fissures at the corners of the corner (yay, double corner) split just slightly.

Telma raises an eyebrow and looks back at him with a scowl. His eyes widen for a second and he averts his gaze.

I burst into a harsh coughing fit, my throat burning like fire, and Renado hands me the glass of water. I take a sip and wince before coughing again and simply handing back the water. The shaman lets out a sigh and places it on a bedside table. I then notice that we're in the Elde Inn, one of the places Zant said the dark magic was supposedly coming from. I glance over at him, my look questioning, but he shakes his head.

_This isn't the place,_ his barely-visible eye clearly says.

I nod ever so slightly and notice that Talo is still here. I look over at him from, strangely, below for once, and he tightens his grip on my hand.

"L-Link...?"

I nod again, this time to him, to show that I'm listening.

"W-what was it? What did it look like?"

A frown creases my forehead and I glance to Renado for a pad of paper, miming the use of a pencil. He nods and walks briefly out of the room, then returns seconds later with a yellowed booklet of paper.

"Keep it; I'm sure you'll need it," he says as he hands it to me with a pencil.

I shrug and close my eyes, picturing the creature. My hand moves on its own, dancing across the page. I've always been a pretty good artist...in fact, when I was a kid it was what I wanted to be when I grew up. An artist.

And then...well, you know what happened.

When I open my eyes, I'm shocked to see the beast jumping out of the page as though three-dimensional. Long, feathered arm reaching towards the center of the page. Narrowed eyes glaring at me with utmost hatred. Circular silver mask covering the entire face, with strange markings on it.

A Shadow Assassin.

How did I do...this?

Talo literally shrinks back against me, releasing my hand, and that's when I feel a sharp pain throughout my entire body. My breath hitches, and I feel my heartbeat speed up. My vision blurs and I shut my eyes to keep them from watering.

"L-Link? Are you okay?" Talo asks. He hesitantly reaches for my hand again, and suddenly the pain goes away completely.

I let out a breath and try to speak before remembering that I can't at the moment. With a sigh of resignation I scribble down my thoughts on another sheet of paper, flipping the page to hide the Shadow Assassin.

_You seem to be a...ward, of some sort._

Automatically, when I write, my pauses make my pencil add an ellipse. It's strange, but I imagine it does that with anyone who can't talk and needs to add emphasis.

"What do you mean?"

_It hurt when you let go of my hand._

I consider briefly what I should write next, then scrawl across the paper:

_Do it again._

Talo looks horrified, but releases my hand. I bite my lip as it comes back again and try to focus on where the pain is coming from. Renado and Telma watch in shock and surprise, but Zant just looks mildly interested. I realize that there isn't a specific point and that it seems to be everywhere, all at once. Finally I force it out of my mind and jot down another note.

_Do you want to meet Princess Zelda?_

Talo's eyes widen, and I give him a forced smile. He nods, and explains to Renado and Telma where we're going as I buckle my sword to my back and slip my shield over it. I then make sure that I have my fishing rod with me.

...Hey, you never know when you might have to go fishing for Ganon.

Suddenly, Ilia storms into the doorway and shouts, "Link, where the heck are you going?! You just fell from the lookout tower! There's no way that you're..."

Oh, no.

"...and you can't just leave us..."

Kill me now.

"...and really, aren't my nails beautiful..."

Really?

"...and don't forget Epona, Talo, and your creepy blue guy with the weird mouth. See you later, Link!"

Um...I didn't follow that at all, but I guess you can't argue with a girl, so I'd better get going.

I gesture for Zant to follow. As he passes Ilia in the doorway, she turns into a spirit and then reappears, screaming bloody murder at him.

After letting out a sigh and apologizing via paper to Talo, I gesture again for Zant and he disappears into my shadow, therefore turning me into a beast. Yay.

Talo gulps, but I bark at him and jerk my head, hopefully saying with my eyes, _Get on, kid. You're going for the ride of your life._

Considering he doesn't react immediately, I figure that either he's slow or didn't get the message. When I sit there waiting for him he tilts his head to the side and then climbs onto my back. I bark again to say, _Hold on tight, Talo..._and dash down the hall, jumping through an open window.

I notice that in wolf form nothing hurts. Maybe it's because of Zant, somehow.

_'Oh, it is.'_

I huff and roll my eyes before asking, _'How?'_

_'We share a body, technically, and since I don't want to feel pained right now I chose to share my feelings with you. Did Midna never use this tactic with you?'_

_'I think she did...when I was rushing her to Zelda I felt really sick. By the way, that was your fault. So really, you still owe me for having to cross, like, seventeen miles of open ground before running through a city to hunt down a cat, which led me to the sewers, which I then had to go through to find Zelda...yeah, your fault. You owe me big time, man.'_

I dash out the north exit of Kakariko Village and start onto Hyrule Field, swerving around enemies, as Zant replies.

_'Excuse me? I just saved your life. Would you prefer to be dead rather than alive and recovering?'_

_'Sometimes I do.'_

Zant grows silent, and I can feel his surprise rippling through me like wind against water. As I enter Castle Town he murmurs in a soft tenor, _'I didn't think the bravest man in all of Hyrule wished he could die.'_

_'Bravest? Yeah, right. I'm _afraid_ of death, Zant. I don't want it all to end, and everything be complete blackness...but I do. For once, just once, I don't want to have the weight of Hyrule resting on my shoulders, or a sword at my back._

_'I...I don't even remember what it was like to be normal.'_

Finally our conversation ends, and I'm left with a melancholic feeling almost as bad as the shards of pure pain tearing straight through my body earlier. When we get through the castle, with Talo still bouncing at my back, and reach the door to Zelda's room, I bark to get her attention.

The princess opens her door, and after her eyes glide up and down Talo she nods, letting us in. She shuts the door behind us and calls, "Zant, must you remain?"

I can hear his voice echoing in the room as he replies, _"Link cannot speak anyway. There is no need. I understand that you dislike me, princess, but someone needs to be able to do the quick work around here while he's off being Messenger Boy."_

"Well, I guess so," Zelda says hesitantly. After a moment of silence she sighs and mutters, "Very well. You may stay, for now." She meets my gaze but addresses Zant when she speaks again. "Do you know where it's coming from yet?"

_"Certainly not the Elde Inn. The atmosphere was too cheery in there. It cannot be Malo Mart, either, but I don't understand how it could be the Sanctuary. Perhaps something is hidden in the basement."_

"What _about_ Malo Mart?" Talo asks in confusion. "My brother owns the place. Half of the time he's dismissing his attendants for some alone time, because he doesn't like company. It makes me wonder what he does when he's alone."

The kid just turned the lightbulb on in both my head and Zant's.

_"You did it, kid. You helped us figure out who's causing all this trouble."_


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Sorry I took so long to update, but I have other stories as well. Which reminds me, I just finished one of my others, so now I have only three left on this site to complete before I can move on to another. And I'm so, so sorry guys, but this is a really short chapter. Sorry!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Legend of Zelda. Yeah...let's just say this has a lasting effect so I don't have to type it seventy thousand times (not that we'll have that many chapters...sorry, I can tell that you readers enjoy. *giant cheerful smile*).**

**And by the way, to one of you reviewers (forgot the name, sorry), I figured it would shock you...and the next chapter should explain everything eventually, if not the next...**

**Chapter Three.**

"No way! Malo?!" Talo cries. "Are you saying that Malo did this to Link? But...we love being around Link! What could change him like that?"

I growl deep within my throat, nestled down on my front paws. Talo is currently sitting on a chair nearby the princess, and Zant is still within my shadow. Zelda is obviously on edge that he's still here, however, and so I mentally request for him to leave.

He huffs and mentally kicks me in reply, but vanishes anyway. My form morphs once again into my human shape, and I curse, once again, mentally. Pain rushes back through every limb, pulsing through my blood and giving me a major headache after just a few seconds. I let out a sigh. I had forgotten that Zant and I shared pain or emotions. On the other hand, Zelda seems to calm down enough and finally speaks what she has most likely been thinking for the past hour.

"I believe that Link's wolf form appearing was what alerted Malo to Zant's presence, and I believe that it's Zant he's after. What I'm wondering, however, is why Malo changed so. Talo, how good of an actor are you?"

"Give me a subject and I'll play it," he replies, the determination evident in his voice.

Zelda nods, her face as expressionless as ever. "Very well. Can I trust you to stick around Malo until further notice, and pester him? I need someone close to him to be able to observe if he is truly the one we are after. Even though his case sounds extremely suspicious, it may be because of something else. Therefore, Talo, I am putting my trust in you. Link can get you back to Kakariko, I believe. Right, Link?"

It takes me a moment to respond, because of the dizzying headache pounding on my skull like a door-knocker. I let out yet another sigh and write on my notepad, _Yes, I can. What form of transportation would you like me to use?_

"You should use Epona; it looks much less suspicious if Talo is riding in front of you upon Epona rather than on a blue-eyed beast." I smirk at the title she uses, which is exactly the same as what the spirits called me. Her brow hardens into a scowl for just a moment. "Link, I want you to take it easy and stay in the background for as long as you can. Perhaps you should travel back to Ordon, where Malo cannot reach you. His range, or whoever it is, only reaches out to Death Mountain and half of Hyrule Field, including the Eldin Bridge. Telma's place is always an option. She'll take good care of you."

I shudder slightly at the thought. _Staying at Telma's, vulnerable to all her...dirty comments when she gets back? No, thank you. Ordon will be fine. I'll deliver Talo and go. How are you going to contact me?_

"I'll contact you via Zant," the princess replies just as I feel a sudden weight in what seems to be my shadow, transforming into a beast straightaway.

_"Malo is getting suspicious. He is either worried for his brother, which I doubt, or wondering if he is with Link, which is the most likely explanation. However, I do not believe that he knows Talo is visiting you, Princess. Renado, Telma, and Ilia have sworn to secrecy."_

"You threatened them, didn't you?" Talo grumbles, glaring towards my rather short shadow.

_"Maybe I did. So, your Majesty, what's the plan?"_

Zelda, too, glares at my shadow and answers, "You are to lay low until told to get Link from Ordon Village. It would be best if you could help out Midna in the Twilight Realm while our hero is busy recovering."

_"If he's the hero, then am I the superhero? Didn't I just save his life?"_

"Yes, but he usually repays his debts at the very end of his adventures, and then some. So, really, you're just the sidekick. For now."

Zant growls and disappears once again, causing me to change shape for what must be the seventh time today, at least. I stand up and gesture for Talo to follow me, sticking my small notepad inside one of my many, many pockets.

_'Take it easy?'_ I wonder silently, fingering the necklace Ilia gave me. _Does Zelda know me?_

Even if our enemy's reach only extends so far, monsters can travel anywhere they wish without someone to fight them back. I have no idea what could possibly happen, and that's what I don't like about this plan. In fact, I'm not even sure if Zelda knows what we're getting into.

It's never a good thing when you're unsure about the person you trust to know the answers to everything.

* * *

I ride into Kakariko Village with Talo, surprisingly without event. Like usual, Renado wanders the center of town, watching everything closely. A Goron stands at the very top of the lookout tower. One of his hands blocks the sunlight, and his head turns back and forth.

_Talo, this is where you'll be dropped off,_ I write, handing him the notepad and looking around the village and back behind me to make sure no monsters are nearby. After I take it back, I finish, _Don't do anything out of the ordinary. If you do, you have absolutely no chance of defending yourself against whoever is pulling the strings. Please, be careful._

He nods and gives me a one-armed hug before clumsily dismounting from Epona and running off towards the Elde Inn, which has been cleaned up just enough so the kids can stay in there until Rusl comes to take them back to Ordon, which won't be very soon as far as we can tell, especially with all the recent monster attacks...on me.

As I ride out of the village, shooting a final wave at the kids, who all run out to say goodbye, I tear the paper I just wrote on off of the notepad and light my lantern, burning it as quickly as possible and hoping that no one will ever catch trace of the conversation we just had. I hope Talo is as good of an actor as he says he is...

I'm thinking something along the lines of that when I nearly crush a certain mailman that has bothered me during my entire journey to save the Twilight Realm. I realize that he didn't bother to call my name this time, and is clearly exhausted. Sweat beads his forehead, and he is panting as he hands me a letter.

I notice that it's from Ashei and read it silently.

_Link_

_Meet me at the entrance to Faron Woods. I'll explain there._

Well, she's always been pretty blunt. Whatever...at least I'm going in that direction. Sometimes people will mail me asking me to meet them at some place far from where I'm actually going. And sometimes they'll just be girls with...really strange hobbies. Some of them don't even tell me who they are and just ask me if I'll meet them. By now I've learned to ignore that kind of message.

The mailman huffs and puffs before saluting and walking away, calling, "Don't go to the Eldin Bridge unless you like monsters!"

It's a good thing she didn't ask me to meet her there.

* * *

As I ride Epona through Hyrule Field, I suddenly grow dizzy, and I lean forward on Epona, clinging tightly to the reins. Even so, however, I fall right off and pull an already-bruised muscle in my neck. I groan and look around with one eye closed, wondering what could have caused that...

Epona trots over and nudges the back of my head. I turn around and stroke the tuft of fur along her snout. "Hey, girl. What do you think that was?"

She tosses her head back and looks back in the direction we came from. I, too, look over where she's gazing and notice a sort of haze not too far in front of us. I step cautiously forward and press my hand up against it. My eyes widen.

"This must be the border of power between the Eldin and Faron Provinces," I mutter. Finally, I turn back to Epona and mount her, saying, "Let's get out of here. Surely someone has noticed this force-field, which means we might have monsters upon us at any second. I just hope Ordon is alright."

* * *

"Ashei!" I call as my mare and I approach the entrance to Faron Woods.

She looks over at me briefly from her position atop a boulder that I don't remember seeing there before. "Link, listen. Something horrible is going on, as I'm sure you know, and we don't have much time left. Hyrule is crumbling beneath our enemy's grasp, and if we don't do something, we'll lose everything we've done to repair it, and then some. From my understanding, Princess Zelda and yourself are trying behind the scenes to solve this problem, yeah?" When I nod, she continues to speak. "It might be working a little, but not enough. Rusl told me that you're supposed to be recovering over in Ordon, which means we'll be working overtime. I need to know what the two of you know so far, yeah?"

"The princess is positive that our enemy's power lies in Kakariko, and that's why the beasts showed up so fast earlier. Our enemy is also intelligent and with a cool temper. Our assumption is that it might be Malo, the owner of Malo Mart, who also has some control over Castle Town's residents, but we're not positive on the subject," I explain. "Also, we know that the monsters are seemingly being controlled by a singular will, which makes them harder to defeat. I think that's one of the reasons we're not sure about Malo."

Ashei nods and looks back out to Hyrule Field. She looks mildly surprised for a moment.

"Whoa," she mutters. "I think we've got a problem on our hands."

I look back and notice a group of Bokoblins approaching us. With a sigh of exasperation, I draw my sword from its sheath. Epona rears up with a whinny, but we stand still, waiting until they grow closer. When they're about two hundred yards in front of us, she rears again, and we race forward.

It's just a moment too late before I notice the hazy shield in front of us and both the Bokoblins and Epona and I harshly collide with the force-field. She backs up, shaking her head, and I fall straight off again. I notice that Ashei is still running to catch up with us as the monsters disappear in a puff of purple smoke, as they always do when they die, which is rather strange, if you ask me.

"Need a hand?" Ashei asks, holding said hand out to me. I accept it and stagger onto my feet, cursing my stupidity. "I wouldn't call that recovering," she mutters, glancing back at the few remaining Bokoblins, who curse (I think) and stomp around, slamming their clubs against the force-field and simply exploding afterwards.

"Yeah, I'm not very good at that," I reply halfheartedly, rubbing the back of my sore neck with one hand. Since I've fallen off of her so much today, I decide to lead Epona into Ordon instead. "Do you think we'll be safe with that shield there?"

Ashei shrugs. "Hard to tell. Besides, I'm not here to stay. I've gotta go help out everyone else. All I'm wondering is, if our enemy is really trying to destroy Hyrule, why are they protecting its people?"

"Maybe they aren't," I reply softly, turning back around and heading to Ordon Village.


End file.
